10 February 2016

There is a growing interest and fondness for the use of millets and multi grains in our diet. Millets have been the backbone of our cuisine for ages, especially if we talk about the rural cuisine. My mother had the privilege of growing up close to her roots, and she has endless stories to share, about food, festivals, life in those days, and above all, how naturally healthy everyone was!! For the farmers it was imperative to have a wholesome breakfast, which was defined not by the quantity but the quality of items. It could be something as humble as leftover rice soaked overnight and eaten with an onion the next morning. Or anything made with soaked and cooked millets that would keep them going till lunchtime! As a replacement to rice at night, we are now using alternatives like cracked wheat, bajra or pearl millet, and the difference in digestion and overall health is quite apparent. Though the suggestion here is for bajra with curd, one can have it in any form they wish, as one would with rice.

BAJRA WITH CURD

Ingredients :Bajra (Pearl millet) - 1 cupCurds - as requiredSalt to taste Hing (Asafoetida pwd) to tasteFresh curry leaves Method :1. Lightly crush the bajra using either a mixer or the stone masala crusher. We just want to roughly break it in the form of broken wheat. Wash once and soak for an hour. 2. Pressure cook using 2.5 cups water up to 4-5 whistles, then reduce flame and let cook for 7-8 minutes more. 3. Once pressure has subsided, remove and let cool. Lightly beat curds, add salt and hing. Add required amount of cooked bajra and serve garnished with curry leaves.